Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's skin disorders, including soft tissue sarcoma and other conditions, are not service-connected. The Board has ordered additional development for hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further evaluation of her service-connected bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and seborrheic dermatitis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding his left foot and ankle condition, folliculitis of the face, and scarring of the scalp. The low back disability claim remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of private treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for dry skin of the hands, service connection for scars, and service connection for a skin condition other than dry skin on hands are being remanded due to new evidence introduced into the record following the March 2020 VA examination. The Veteran is entitled to a new VA examination to determine the current diagnosis and etiology of each skin disorder found to be present, including the claimed scars, dermatitis, basal cell carcinoma, and any other skin disorder found to be present, and to determine the current severity of his service-connected dry skin of the hands.

The Veteran's tinea pedis is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a higher rating under either the old or new criteria for skin disabilities. The appeal regarding TDIU is remanded due to lack of updated employment information.

The Veteran's tinea pedis with onychomycosis and bilateral hearing loss were both found to not warrant increased ratings. The diabetes mellitus claim was remanded, as well as the psychiatric disorder secondary to diabetes mellitus.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to new evidence or other factors.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic fatigue, muscle pain, and joint pain as separate disabilities due to the presence of a known diagnosis (fibromyalgia) that already receives compensation.,Service connection was granted for dermatitis based on objective indications of a qualifying chronic disability related to Persian Gulf service.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for dermatitis was denied, and a separate 20 percent disability rating for painful scars on the scalp and scrotum from July 29, 2005 to October 4, 2020 was granted.

The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The Veteran's residuals of tibia fracture with mild patellofemoral compartment osteoarthritis in the left lower extremity are currently rated at 10 percent and require further examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's increased rating for venous insufficiency and stasis dermatitis is remanded due to the AOJ not providing a clear basis for evaluating left lower extremity venous insufficiency prior to September 25, 2017.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and left hip pain, rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The decision grants a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for TDIU and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinea corporis/versicolor with folliculitis, dermatitis, psoriasis due to the appellant's withdrawal.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for thoracolumbar spine disability prior to May 10, 2018 was denied. For the period from May 10, 2018 to June 23, 2021, her claim for a higher rating was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected dermatitis is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a compensable evaluation or higher under applicable criteria.

The Veteran's service-connection claim for eczema is reopened, and she is granted secondary service connection for her eczema as it is proximately due to her service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is dismissed as moot.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service or herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma and COPD, but denied service connection for atopic dermatitis, hypertension, and a left ankle disorder. The decision is based on the evidence showing these conditions are not related to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, thus his TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to extra-schedular ratings for the Veteran's skin disability and low back disability due to insufficient reasoning in previous decisions.